The passenger-side airbag module of a motor vehicle normally includes a reaction canister which houses an inflator and a folded airbag. Customarily, the reaction canister is in the form of a trough having a floor and a pair of spaced sidewalls. This main body is often formed from an extrusion of, for example, aluminum or plastic which is then cut to the desired length. It often includes screw preparations which are elongated channels running along its length. The ends of the main body are closed by means of end plates. The end plates are fastened to the main body by means of screws. Each screw extends through an opening in the end plate and into the main body. Customarily, the screws thread into the ends of the screw preparations. Several screws are required to be threaded from each of the end plates into the main body of the reaction canister. As a consequence, the assembly of such a reaction canister is rather time consuming and labor intensive.
It is a primary object of the present invention to simplify the assembly of a passenger-side reaction canister. Another object is to reduce the cost of assembling such a reaction canister. Other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.